Shock Absorbing Member and Shock Absorbing Structure

ABSTRACT

According to one embodiment, a shock absorbing member includes a main body of a resin, a recess portion, and a pair of first groove portions. The recess portion is made in the main body. An outer edge portion of an object to be packaged is inserted to the recess portion. The recess portion includes a first end surface which faces the outer edge portion. The pair of first groove portions are made in the main body, the pair of first groove portions being opened in the first end surface, and extending respectively in directions to depart from the outer edge portion of the object. The first end surface of the recess portion faces the outer edge portion of the object between the pair of first groove portions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-176650, filed Aug. 5, 2010; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a shock absorbing member and a shock absorbing structure.

BACKGROUND

The so-called household electrical appliances including liquid crystal televisions, personal computers, washing machines and refrigerators are packed with shock absorbing members. The shock absorbing members are formed of, for example, a molded foam such as EPS. The sock absorbing members comprise a recessed portion formed therein to which a part of the product to be packed is fit.

In the case where a sock absorbing member is patched to a heavy article such as a household electrical appliance, the sock absorbing member which holds the article is in some cases cracked when, for example, the packed article is dropped. When the shock absorbing member is cracked, the shock absorbing capability of the member is deteriorated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A general architecture that implements the various features of the embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate the embodiments and not to limit the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view showing a packaged object according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary perspective view showing a shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary plan view showing the shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary front view showing the shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary lateral view showing a shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary cross sectional view of the shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment taken along the line F6-F6 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing the packaged object according to the first embodiment falling;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing the packaged object according to the first embodiment having crashed on the ground;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary lateral view showing a shock absorbing member according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary cross sectional view of the shock absorbing member according to the second embodiment taken along the line F10-F10 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an exemplary view showing a packaged object according to the second embodiment falling; and

FIG. 12 is an exemplary view showing the packaged object according to the second embodiment having crashed on the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In general, according to one embodiment, a shock absorbing member includes a main body of a resin, a recess portion, and a pair of first groove portions. The recess portion is made in the main body. An outer edge portion of an object to be packaged is inserted to the recess portion. The recess portion includes a first end surface which faces the outer edge portion. The pair of first groove portions are made in the main body, the pair of first groove portions being opened in the first end surface, and extending respectively in directions to depart from the outer edge portion of the object. The first end surface of the recess portion faces the outer edge portion of the object between the pair of first groove portions.

The first embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view showing a packaged object 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the packaged object 1 comprises a liquid crystal television 2, four shock absorbing members 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d, and a package box 4. The liquid crystal television 2 is an example of a packaged object.

The four shock absorbing members 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d are patched to the liquid crystal television 2. The shock absorbing members 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d are an example of the shock absorbing member as well as an example of the shock absorbing structure. The liquid crystal television 2 patched with the shock absorbing members 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d is housed in a package box 4. The package box 4 is, for example, a corrugated fiberboard container.

The liquid crystal television 2 comprises a front surface 10, a back surface 11 (shown in FIG. 3), a first side edge portion 12, a second side edge portion 13, a lower edge portion 14, an upper edge portion 15, four corner portions 16 and a display screen 17. The first side edge portion 12 and the second side edge portion 13 are examples of outer edge portions of an object, respectively. The lower edge portion 14 and the upper edge portion 15 are examples of outer edge portions of the object, respectively.

The back surface 11 is located on an opposite side to the front surface 10. The first side edge portion 12 is located on an opposite side to the second side edge portion 13. The upper edge portion 15 is located on an opposite side to the lower edge portion 14. The display screen 17 is exposed to the outside from an opening of the front surface 10.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary perspective view showing a shock absorbing member 3 a. FIG. 3 is an exemplary plan view showing the shock absorbing member 3 a. FIG. 4 is an exemplary front view showing the shock absorbing member 3 a. FIG. 5 is an exemplary side view showing the shock absorbing member 3 a. It should be noted that each of the other shock absorbing members 3 b, 3 c and 3 d has a shape identical to or mirror-image symmetrical to that of the shock absorbing member 3 a. For this reason, the following explanation will be made with respect to the shock absorbing member 3 a as a typical member.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shock absorbing member 3 a comprises a resin-made main body 20, a recess portion 21 and a pair of first groove portions 22. The main body 20 is formed of a molded foam having an elasticity, such as EPS. Note that the main body 20 may be formed of some other material.

The main body 20 has substantially a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The main body 20 comprises a front surface 24, a rear surface 25, a bottom surface 26, a top surface 27, a first side surface 28 and a second side surface 29. The rear surface 25 is located on an opposite side to the front surface 24. The top surface 27 is located on an opposite side to the bottom surface 26. The second side surface 29 is located on an opposite side to the first side surface 28.

The recess portion 21 is made in the main body 20. The recess portion 21 is opened in each of the front surface 24, the upper surface 27 and the second side surface 29 of the main body 20. As shown in FIG. 4, each of a portion of the first side edge portion 12, a portion of the lower edge portion 14 and one of the corner portion 16 of the liquid crystal television 2 is fit into the recess portion 21. As shown in FIG. 3, the recess portion 21 is set in contact with the front surface 10 and the back surface 11 of the liquid crystal television 2 so as to support and hold the liquid crystal television 2.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary cross section of the shock absorbing member 3 a taken along the line F6-F6 in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 6, the recess portion 21 comprises a first end surface 31 and a second end surface 32. The first end surface 31 extends from the top surface 27 of the main body 20 towards the bottom surface 26. The first end surface 31 faces the first side edge portion 12 and the corner portion 16. The first end surface 31 is in contact with the first side edge portion 12 and the corner portion 16 via a protection bag covered onto the liquid crystal television 2.

The second end surface 32 extends from the second side surface 29 of the main body 20 towards the first side surface 28. The second end surface 32 extends to cross the first end surface 31. The second end surface 32 faces the lower edge portion 14 of the liquid crystal television 2. The second end surface 32 supports the lower edge portion 14 via the protection.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pair of the first groove portions 22 are made in the main body. The pair of the first groove portions 22 are made in the first end surface 31 and the top surface 27 of the main body 20, respectively. As shown in FIG. 6, each of the first groove portions 22 extends along the first end surface 31. Each of the first groove portions 22 is made from the upper end through to the lower end of the first end surface 31.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pair of the first groove portions 22 each extend to depart from the first side edge portion 12 of the liquid crystal television 2 in directions to further part from each other. With this structure, the pair of the first groove portions 22 extend in the directions crossing with each other. For example, the pair of the first groove portions 22 extend in the directions normally crossing with each other. A width T1 of each of the first groove portions 22 is smaller than a thickness T2 of the liquid crystal television 2 in order to prevent the liquid crystal television 2 from entering thereinto.

As shown in FIG. 6, the first groove portions 22 extend to go through the second end surface 32. In this manner, the first groove portions 22 are made in the second end surface 32.

As shown in FIG. 3, the recess portion 21 comprises a first support portion 35. The first support portion 35 is defined by the pair of the first groove portions 22 into substantially a trapezoidal shape which tapers down towards the first side edge portion 12 of the liquid crystal television 2. The first support portion 35 comprises the first end surface 31 described above. The first end surface 31 faces the first side edge portion 12 of the liquid crystal television 2 between the pair of the first groove portions 22. The first support portion 35 protrudes towards the first side edge portion 12.

FIG. 7 schematically shows the state in which the packaged object 1 falls. FIG. 8 schematically shows the state in which the liquid crystal television 2 and the sock absorbing member 3 a have crashed on the ground. As shown in FIG. 7, when the packaged object 1 falls onto the ground from side, the sock absorbing member 3 a crashes on the ground via the package box 4. Here, as indicated in FIG. 8, the liquid crystal television 2 moves towards the direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 8 due to the inertia.

As the liquid crystal television 2 moves towards the direction of the arrow A, the recess portion 21 is elastically deformed to follow the movement of the liquid crystal television 2. Further, the first end surface 31 of the first support portion 35 receives and stops the first side edge portion 12 of the liquid crystal television 2. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the first support portion 35 is elastically deformed while being pushed down by the liquid crystal television 2. The pair of the first groove portions 22 are each widened to follow the deformation of the first support portion 35. Here, since the first support portion 35 is formed to taper down, the first groove portions 22 are each widened in a smooth manner. Thus, as the first support portion 35 is elastically deformed and the pair of the first groove portions 22 are each widened, the impact on the shock absorbing member 3 a applied from the liquid crystal television 2 is absorbed.

The first support portion 35 elastically deformed then pushes back the liquid crystal television 2 due to its restoring force. When the liquid crystal television 2 is placed back to a predetermined position in the recess portion 21, the first support portion 35 and the pair of the first groove portions 22 restore their original shapes, respectively.

With the shock absorbing member 3 a having the above-described structure, the first end surface 31 supports the first side edge portion 12 of the liquid crystal television 2 when the packaged object 1 crushes on the ground. Thus, as a load is applied onto the first end surface 31 from the liquid crystal television 2, the first support portion 35 is elastically deformed and also the pair of the first groove portions 22 are each widened. In this manner, the impact upon the crush is absorbed by the shock absorbing member 3 a, thereby making it possible to prevent damage on the liquid crystal television 2.

When a load onto the first end surface 31 from the liquid crystal television 2, the pair of the first groove portions 22 are each widened. In this manner, the shock absorbing member 3 a is not easily cracked even when the load is applied thereto from the liquid crystal television 2.

On the other hand, the portion of the first end surface 31 which is in contact with the corner portion 16 of the liquid crystal television 2 receives the maximum load. As shown in FIG. 6, the first groove portions 22 each extend to go through the second end surface 32, and thus the portion of the first groove portion 22 which is close to the corner portion 16 is widened. With this structure, when the load is applied to the first end surface 31 from the corner portion 16, a wide portion of the first groove portion 22 is widened to absorb the impact. In this manner, the shock absorbing member 3 a is not easily cracked even when the load is applied to the area near the corner portion 16.

Next, the second embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12. In the following descriptions, the structural elements having the same function as that of the shock absorbing member 3 a of the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals, and the explanations therefore will not be repeated.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary lateral view showing a shock absorbing member 3 a according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is an exemplary cross section of the shock absorbing member 3 a taken along the line F10-F10 in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, the shock absorbing member 3 a comprises a pair of second groove portions 41.

The pair of the second groove portions 41 are made in the main body 20. The pair of the second groove portions 41 are opened in the second end surface 32 and the second side surface 32 of the main body 20, respectively. As shown in FIG. 10, each of the second groove portions 41 extends along the second end surface 32. Each of the second groove portions 41 is made from one end to the other end of the second end surface 32.

As shown in FIG. 9, the pair of the second groove portions 41 each extend to depart from the lower edge portion 14 of the liquid crystal television 2. For example, the pair of the second groove portions 41 extend in parallel to each other. A width T3 of each of the second groove portions 41 is smaller than a thickness T2 of the liquid crystal television 2 in order to prevent the liquid crystal television 2 from entering thereinto.

The recess portion 21 comprises a second support portion 42. The second support portion 42 is defined by the pair of the second groove portions 41 into substantially a rectangular shape. The second support portion 42 comprises a second end surface 32. The second end surface 32 faces the lower edge portion 14 of the liquid crystal television 2 between the pair of the second groove portions 41. The second support portion 42 protrudes towards the lower edge portion 14 of the liquid crystal television 2.

FIG. 11 schematically shows the state in which the packaged object 1 falls. FIG. 12 schematically shows the state in which the liquid crystal television 2 and the sock absorbing member 3 a have crashed on the ground. As shown in FIG. 11, when the packaged object 1 falls onto the ground from the lower side, the sock absorbing member 3 a crashes on the ground via the package box 4. Here, as indicated in FIG. 12, the liquid crystal television 2 moves towards the direction indicated by an arrow B in FIG. 12 due to the inertia.

As the liquid crystal television 2 moves towards the direction of the arrow B, the recess portion 21 is elastically deformed to follow the movement of the liquid crystal television 2. Further, the second end surface 32 of the second support portion 42 receives and stops the lower edge portion 14 of the liquid crystal television 2. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the second support portion 41 is elastically deformed while being pushed down by the liquid crystal television 2. The pair of the second groove portions 41 are each widened as being pushed by the second support portion 42. Thus, as the second support portion 41 is elastically deformed and the pair of the second groove portions 42 are each widened, the impact on the shock absorbing member 3 a applied from the liquid crystal television 2 is absorbed.

The second support portion 42 elastically deformed then pushes back the liquid crystal television 2 due to its restoring force. When the liquid crystal television 2 is placed back to a predetermined position in the recess portion 21, the second support portion 42 and the pair of the second groove portions 41 restore their original shapes, respectively.

With the shock absorbing member 3 a having the above-described structure, damage on the liquid crystal television 2 is prevented even if the packaged object 1 crushes on the ground from its lower side. Thus, if the packaged object 1 crushes on the ground from any direction, damage on the liquid crystal television 2 is prevented.

Note that the above-described embodiments have been described in connection with the cases where a liquid crystal television is packaged, but the object to be packaged is not limited to this. The object may be some other items, for example, a personal computer, a washing machine or a refrigerator.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions. 

1. A shock absorbing member comprising: a main body of a resin; a recess portion made in the main body, to which an outer edge portion of an object to be packaged is inserted, and comprising a first end surface which faces the outer edge portion; and a pair of first groove portions made in the main body, the pair of first groove portions being opened in the first end surface, and extending respectively in directions to depart from the outer edge portion of the object, wherein the first end surface of the recess portion faces the outer edge portion of the object between the pair of first groove portions.
 2. The shock absorbing member of claim 1, wherein the first end surface of the recess portion faces a corner portion of the object.
 3. The shock absorbing member of claim 2, wherein the recess portion comprises a second end surface which extends to cross the first end surface and faces an other outer edge portion of the object, and the pair of the first groove portions each extend through out the second end surface.
 4. The shock absorbing member of claim 3, wherein the pair of the first groove portions extend in directions to part from each other and cross each other.
 5. The shock absorbing member of claim 4, wherein the recess portion comprises a support portion defined by the pair of the first groove portions, and the support portion comprises the first end surface and tapers down towards the outer edge portion of the object.
 6. The shock absorbing member of claim 5, wherein a width of the first groove portions is smaller than a thickness of the object.
 7. The shock absorbing member of claim 6, further comprising: a pair of second groove portions made in the main body, the pair of the second groove portions being opened in the second end surface, and extending respectively in directions to depart from the other outer edge portion of the object.
 8. A shock absorbing member comprising: a main body; a recess portion made in the main body, to which an outer edge portion of an object to be packaged is inserted; and a pair of groove portions made in the main body, the pair of the groove portions being opened in the recess portion, and extending respectively in directions to depart from the outer edge portion of the object, wherein the recess portion comprises an end surface which faces the outer edge portion of the object between the pair of groove portions.
 9. A shock absorbing structure comprising: a main body; a recess portion made in the main body, to which an outer edge portion of an object to be packaged is inserted, and having an end surface which faces the outer edge portion; and a pair of groove portions made in the main body, the pair of the groove portions being opened in the end surface, and extending respectively in directions to depart from the outer edge portion of the object, wherein the end surface of the recess portion faces the outer edge portion of the object between the pair of the groove portions. 